Different people have different hobbies. Some are very common, such as fishing, gardening, or walking. Others are more unusual, and that includes doing magic tricks, knife throwing, collecting strange items and more.
Bill Scott of San Joaquin County has a fun hobby too. Well, some people don’t even know that’s a thing, but Bill has been communicating with people from all over the world using a small black ham radio which he carries with him everywhere he goes, including family and social gatherings.
In case you wonder when this “trend” or hobby started, the answer is it did with the first transatlantic broadcast made in 1901.
As frequencies started interfering with official radio business such as military, weather, and commercial telecommunications, the radio ham lovers were given their personal regulated space.
One day, Bill received a radio call from a man named Skip Kritcher who lives in Myrtle Point, Oregon, some 500 miles away. At first, Bill couldn’t understand what his radio friend was trying to say as his speaking was a bit strange.
“It was all kind of skewed and everything. I thought it was a prank call at first and so then after we finally established, he said ‘You are an amateur radio operator,’ and I said ‘Yeah’, then it all started coming together,” Bill explained.
As it turned out, Skip was in trouble. He was on the floor, unable to stand up, and dialed Bill’s number by mistake. However, based on the way he spoke, Bill’s wife, who worked as a nurse her whole life, could say he was having a stroke.
The quick-thinking couple called 911 and alerted them of Skip. They were able to give the officers exact directions to Skip’s place because they have visited him once in the past.
Luckily, ambulance was on its way and arrived just in time to save Skip’s life.
“It’s pretty awesome, they are great people you know. I’m just glad I called them,” Skip said of the incredible experience.
If these two friends loved their ham radio hobby in the past, this incident will definitely make them love it even more.
For more on this wonderful story go to the video below.
There is nothing better in this world than a foster child feeling loved and welcomed by the family they end up with. The sense of belonging with someone is priceless. What is even better is when the foster parents decide to adopt these children and prevent them from being moved form one place to another. At the end of the day, every kid out there deserves to be part of a loving family and experience a carefree childhood.
Sara Cozad and Stuart Shank fostered two brothers named Dayshawn and Michael. The truth is that this couple never felt about these boys as their foster children, they loved them as though they were their own, so the logical thing was for them to adopt them.
At the time the boys were about to become official part of the family, Dayshawn was 13 and his little brother was 6.
Namely, sweet Dayshawn’s speech was so moving that CBS News featured a short clip of the adoption. When the judge asked if the adoption should proceed, Dayshawn answered yes with a huge smile on the face. He then couldn’t help but tell everyone there how loved he and his brother were by their foster parents who were about to become their real parents.
The judge then asked the boys if they were ready to commit to the adoption process to what Dayshawn said, “Yeah, I’m glad to be their son. They’re just really the best thing I’ve ever had. If I can wish anything in the world, I’d wish that I could just love these people for the rest of my life.”
Sara couldn’t contain her tears of joy as she was listening to her son explaining how happy he was with her and her husband.
We wish every foster child to find happiness just like Dayshawn and Michael.
For more on the story go to the video below.
She was spotted wandering the streets and taken to Arca Animal center where the staff welcomed her with open arms.
However, gaining Pakita’s trust and love wasn’t an easy thing to do not because she was a bad dog, but because she was too afraid and too shy to let anyone hear her.
One of the volunteers, Silvia Ferreyra, said that Pakita became even sadder when she saw people getting in and out of the place, adopting younger dogs, and she was still there. Not many visitors were interested in getting an older dog so Pakita spent two years in the shelter before a familiar scent changed it all for her.
Most of the photos that the volunteers took of Pakita showed her looking aside or covering her head, and it wasn’t util they posted a nicer photo that someone recognized her.
Ariel visited the shelter the following day. Pakita was brought out, still feeling pretty doubtful and withdrawn. But then, all of a sudden, she caught a familiar scent.
Yes, Pakita was Ariel’s dog. He already lost hope of ever finding her, but his beloved dog was again by his side. The reunion was one of the most heartwarming we’ve ever seen.
Now that she is home again, Pakita is her old self; vibrant, confident, and happy.
We honestly hope these two will never have to spend a day in their life separated again.
Some people can’t wait to retire and spend the rest of their lives enjoying the beautiful things that surround them instead of being stuck at the office or other places of work long hours. There are also those, however, who are so passionate about their job that they simply can’t imagine walking away of it. One such person is Mr. Harold from this story.
Namely, Harold used to work as a crane operator and he loved his job very much. Unfortunately, due to health reasons, he ended up in a wheelchair and was forced to quit.
Another crane operator, a young man by the name Shawn Beveridge of Ohio, loves what he does as well. While on the job, Shawn noticed this elderly gentleman in a wheelchair getting outside the nursing home and watching how the cranes operate for hours. At first, Shawn was confused. He wondered why someone would look at those cranes all day and couldn’t come up with a logical reason. What was very interesting was that the elderly man would take lunch brakes at the same time the workers would, and it made things even more confusing for Shawn.
“Since day one when I arrived on this job site I’ve noticed him sitting there every morning from 7 a.m., he takes lunch when we do and doesn’t leave until I shut the crane down and head out,” Shawn wrote in a Facebook post. “I originally had thought to myself, ‘He’s just a curious old man and wanting to enjoy his days outside vs being cooped up in his room.’ Well after a couple days, I myself got curious, so I walked over and introduced myself to him.”
Eventually, Shawn decided to approach the man one day and try to find answers to his questions. The man said his name was Harold and explained how he was a crane operator himself in the past.
“He said he enjoys seeing what he use to love to do for a living and never thought he’d ever be able to see or be around a crane again. Let alone be so close to see one in action,” Shawn added.
Harold also told Shawn that his children, two daughters and a son, haven’t visited him in the last seven years, not once.
That broke Shawn’s heart so he decided to make a deal with Harold. He told the elderly man that he would come to him every day after his shift is over and he would bring him lunch of his choice twice a week. In exchange, Harold would teach him more about the job.
“He didn’t skip a beat before ABSOLUTELY! came out of his mouth. I guess I’m writing this post because if I would have never walked over to him Iwould have never gotten to know him. I’m thankful to have the opportunity to make this man’s last days enjoyable. Filled with purpose and to be able to help him smile again,” Shawn wrote.
Shawn’s post of the encounter with Harold touched many hearts. It vent viral in a very short time and people praised him for his kindness towards Harold.
“I challenge any of you on here to not be like I was in the beginning and don’t be afraid to make someone else’s day better. Always try to enlighten someone’s spirits. When God chooses to take this man home I’m happy knowing that I’ve been placed here at this location to make his days better. I’m happy with that.”
Thank you, Shawn. We should all learn from you. You are an awesome young man.
It was April 25, 2017, and 19-year-old Anisa Gannon was driving to work when she witnessed a horrifying car crash taking place. Two young women, 23-year-old Hannah Simmons and her friend, 28-year-old Lauren Buteau, were driving Hannah’s daughter A’lannah to a routine check-up when Hannah lost control of the vehicle and crashed into a truck. The truck driver didn’t experience any severe injuries, but Hannah, Lauren, and A’lannah lost their lives at the scene.
Anisa was already late for work so she decided to take a photo of the crash and show it to her boss while explaining why she wasn’t on time that day. However, little did she know that the photo would bring some sort of closure to the family of those who lost their lives.
Namely, Anisa didn’t notice anything unusual on the snap, but when she showed it to her aunt, Tara Noble, she noticed the very clear beam of light rising up from the wreck. It resembled a path to the sky.
“Anisa, it looks like a pathway up to heaven,” the aunt said.
When Anisa became aware of the “pathway to Heaven” she felt the urge to show the photo to Hannah’s and Lauren’s families. She believed it would provide comfort, and she was right.
When she was shown the photo, Hannah’s mom, Judy Simmons, said, “I just needed something to show me that they were in Heaven and that they were OK. And that was my confirmation.”
Lauren’s mom, Dana Buteau, shared Judy’s sentiment and wrote, “I can’t explain the feeling [that] came over me. It was like watching them go to heaven.”
The photo was a sign, and it helped the bereaved families move on. It helped them with their grief and provided a touch of comfort. It was all they needed during such tragic times.
“Nothing’s ever going to be the same, my heart’s broken and I miss them daily,” Judy said. “If it wasn’t for the picture, I don’t know, it made it a whole lot better for me.”
She said she keeps the photo on top of her TV so that she could see it every day and to be reminded that her daughter and granddaughter are at a safe place.
Hannah’s fiance, who lost the love of his life, his nine-month-old daughter, and his unborn child said Anisa’s photo brought him peace. “[The photo] is bringing me peace, I know they’re watching down on me. It’s helping a lot.”
Not many people possess the ability to impact others in ways and forms that lead to crucial changes in their lives. Speaking of those special individuals, we can’t help but think of one and only Robin Williams. His incredible talent and a heart of gold made him one of the best people the world has ever heard of.
Unfortunately, Williams died of suicide on Monday, August 11, 2014, and left millions mourning his death. The news came as a huge surprise. People couldn’t stop but wonder how someone so cheerful and fun could die in such horrific manner. But there was more to the story than everyone assumed. The autopsy revealed that Williams had Lewy Body Dementia (LBD), a neurological disease in which protein deposits, called Lewy bodies, develop in nerve cells in the brain regions involved in thinking, memory and movement (motor control), and not Prskinson’s disease as doctors claimed during his life.
Robin Williams was greater than life. His inspiring speeches and quotes which touched many hearts reflected the way he lived.
Now, one woman named Kate Lyon Osher shared an emotional encounter she had with the late actor while she was crying at the LA airport. She had her late husband’s ashes with her and the TSA security gave her a hard time.
“…It wasn’t always easy to get a Tupperware of your late husband’s ashes through TSA security, and at LAX one afternoon I found myself on the receiving end of an agent with a power trip like no other,” Kate wrote, as quoted by HuffPost.
In order to be able to proceed, she had to show her husband’s death certificate, which made her cry.
“I made it to the airport bar still crying and clutching my little container,” Kate went on to say. “I sat in a corner table facing the wall so no one could see how hysterical I was, with my whiskey on the rocks providing support, and I felt a hand on my shoulder.
“‘Miss, I just want to be sure you are OK. I see you are traveling alone, and I saw what happened, and I just really want to be sure you are OK,'” a soft voice said.
As she lifted her head, Kate realized it was Robin Williams. She never thought someone that famous would be walking at the airport all by himself and would take the time to make sure some random woman was doing okay.
“I was still crying that ugly cry where you are trying to catch your breath, and I gave him the Cliff Notes version of circumstances,” Kate recalled. “His eyes got a little glossy. His voice got softer. And he said to me, ‘Addiction is a real b–ch. Mental illness and depression are the mother of all b–ches. I am so sorry for all the pain your husband was in. I’m so sorry for the pain you are in now. But it sounds like you have family and friends and love. And that tips the scale a bit, right?’ And he walked me to the gate, as we were on the same commercial flight.”
Williams made Kate laugh. He tried impersonating the TSA security guys in order to cheer her up, and he nailed it.
“…when we parted ways, he hugged me. With his famously hairy arms, he gave me a huge, warm, bear hug, and it sustained me. It was a moment I think about all the time. That moment saved me. And sustained me. He sustained me during one of the most difficult moments of my life,” Kate wrote.
“Rest in peace, Mr. Williams,” she continued. “May you find the peace that eluded you here and may you keep the angels laughing. Thanks for being there that day for me. You were the angel I needed. And I know you spoke from experience, and I appreciated that.”
Robin Williams was one of a kind. We still miss him dearly every single day.
Chris Jackson, who works as a custodian at Unity Grove Elementary school, is one of those people who are always more than happy to step in for everyone in need of help. From students, to school stuff, he’s never turned anyone down when it comes to lending a hand.
Jackson has never lost his positive attitude despite the fact that he has found himself in some hard times recently.
As it turns out, he experienced difficulties making ends meet, and on top of that, he was forced to walk to work every single day because it only takes him an hour, while taking the bus would add an hour more, sometimes hour 45.
Speaking of his situation, Jackson told 11 Alive, “We had buses, transportation, but I was quicker than the bus. It would add an hour, hour 45. And I was only an hour from my job. So for me, there’s no stopping me.”
No matter his personal struggles, he never considered quitting and finding another job because he loves working with the people and the students at Unity Grove Elementary. “But I didn’t quit. I didn’t run away. I just stay. I put my pride aside. I just come to work, smile, be me,” Jackson said.
In order to pay him back for everything he does for the school, Jackson’s colleagues decided to surprise him with a new car. They knew he was saving for one, and stepped in for him, just as he has stepped in for them many times before.
In a Facebook video, we see two teachers asking Jackson to come with them at the parking lot pretending they need some sort of assistance. Jackson, as always, agrees to help. He has no idea he is about to get the car he dreamed of buying for so long.
As they approach a Chevrolet Impala, one of the teachers hands Jackson the keys. He is left in complete disbelief when he realizes the car is his.
“If y’all was in my body right now, I can’t move!” Jackson can be heard saying. “I’m stuck. I’m really stuck.”
Speaking of the idea to surprise Jackson, Special Ed Teacher Jodi Combs said, “There has never been a day where he has not come in with a smile on his face. The kids here adore him. They love Mr. Chris. And he just works so hard.
“We heard that Chris had fallen on some hard times and we pulled together to help with his immediate needs.”
This story is truly inspiring because it reminds us that humanity is still alive.
If you are eager to see Jackson’s reaction go to the video below. What a beautiful thing to witness.
